Register

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a register having pivotally mounted louvers with beveled edges. The louvers are mounted within the register frame in parallel relationship, the beveled edges adapted to mate with adjacent louvers to provide a continuous coplanar surface for blocking the register. The louvers are mutually interconnected with a control device for rotating the louvers in unison.

United States Patent [l5] 3,682,085 Dennis Aug. 8, 1972 4] REGISTER2,394,059 2/l946 Hite ........98/ll0X 72 I em WI. J kso T 3,202,0828/1965 Viehmann ..98/H0 X I 1 ac ex 1112,299 1/1905 Dils ..98/ll2 [73]'Assignee: American Misti-Plate Corporation,

Jacksomflle-Tw- Q Primary Examiner-Edward J. Michael [22] Filed: April8, 1970 i iyk K v [21] APPLNOJ 26,726 v Disclosed is a register havingpivotally mounted loun ts "angina/112 ms with bevded edgevx The lowersare moumed 'z within the register frame in parallel relationship, the ll 0 re l H 1,2 8 beveled edges adapted to mate with adjacent louverstoprovide a continuous coplanar surface for blocking the register. TheIouvers are mutually interconnected [56] Rem-em Cned a control devicefor rotating the Iouvers in UNITED STATES PATENTS v umson- 2,926,4003/1960 I Mandel; .....l37/60lUX 5Claims,8Drawingfigures a 23' 22 -'t O.2O

PATENTEDAuc 8 I972 SHEET 1 UF 2 "HE ERIE FIG.3

INVENTOR DONALD I. DEN N IS PATENIEnm awn 3.682.085 SHEET 2 OF 2 Elf I26g FIG.5 FIG. 6 Ii:

5; FIG. 8 24-. F

INVENTOR DONALD I. DENNIS ATTORNEY REGISTER This invention relates to alouvered register for controlling and directing the flow of air from anair conditioning duct or the like. More particularly it relates to anadjustable grille or register having louvers which move in unison andhave beveled edges which mate to completely close the register. Theposition of the louvers may also be adjustably varied to direct the flowof air from the register.

Registers having adjustably variable louvers have long been used todirect flow of air from air conditioning and heating ducts and the like.Such registersgenerally employ parallel louvers, sometimesinterconnected, which may be adjusted to direct flow in desireddirections as it exits from the register. Such registers, however,generally fail to provide means for effectively stopping flow of alrthrough the register.

Conventional registers used for this purpose usually employ a pluralityof parallel disposed vanes or louvers which may be moved in overlappingrelationship to partially close the register. Such registers, however,have been found to be ineffective in completely closing the registersince overlapping vanes do not form a continuous uniform sealing surfacewith each other. Therefore such registers are extremely noisy whenclosed and fail to completely stop the flow of air therethrough.Furthermore air pressure built up within the duct be hind the registerusually tends to force the louvers open.

In accordance with the present invention a register is provided which isparticularly adapted for use with mobile air conditioning units and thelike and which may be easily constructed from inexpensive materials. Theregister comprises a rectangular frame in which are mounted a pluralityof parallel positioned vanes or louvers. The louvers are pivotallymounted on a line intersecting their geometric centers and have bevelededges on the sides thereof parallel to the pivoting line. The

louvers are mounted such that upon their rotation to the closedposition, the beveled edge of one louver mates with the beveled edge ofthe adjacent louver to form a continuous surface which closes theregister and prevents the flow of air therethrough. All louvers in theregister are interconnected and are activated by a single control means.In this manner all louvers may be uniformly adjusted to direct airpassing through the register in the desired manner and may likewise besimultaneously closed to completely stop the flow of air sealtherebetween. Accordingly, air does notleak between the louvers and thenoise associated with high velocity air escaping between louvers iseliminated. Furthermore, since the louvers are pivoted about theirgeometric centers, air pressure is approximately equal on both sides ofthe pivot point when the louvers are closed. Accordingly, increased airpressure within the duct does not tend to open the register since airpressure is distributed equally on both sides of .the pivot point.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become more readilyunderstood from the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the appended claims and attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front face view thereof with the louvers in the fully openposition; I

FIG. 3 is a rear face view thereof with the louvers in 10 the fully openposi i I FIG. 4 is a side view thereof, partially in section,illustrating the interconnection and mounting of the louvers within theregister;

FIG. 5 is a front face view thereof with the louvers in the closedposition;

FIG. 6 is a side view thereof with the louvers in the closed position;

FlG.-7 is a rear face view thereof with the louvers in 2 the closedposition; and

in accordance with the principles of the invention is shown. Theregister comprises a rectangular frame 10 having dowels or pins 1 1extending outwardly from two opposed ends thereof. Pins 11 extend fromabout the geometric center of the ends of the rectangular frame and areprovided to permit pivotal mounting of the register within an opening inan air conditioning or heating duct or the like. A channel member 12 ismounted across the front face of the register parallel to the long sidesthereof.

5 Mounted within the rectangular frame 10 are a plurality of vanes orlouvers l3. Louvers 13 are preferably positioned in spaced parallelrelationship and parallel to the ends of frame 10.

Louvers 13 are essentially rectangular in shape with a notch 14 formedtherein extending from approximately the center of the louver 13 to thefront edge thereof. The notch 14 is preferably parallel to the shorterside of the vane and is provided to allow louvers 13 to rotate withinthe frame with the forward edges 5 thereof extending between thecentrally disposed channel member 12 and the sides of the frame 10 asillustrated in FIGS. 2, 5, and 7.

A pair of pivot pins 15 extend from opposite sides of each of thelouvers 13. As illustrated throughout the Q drawings, pivot pins 15extend on opposite sides of the 5 spaced in parallel relationship withinthe frame 10 as illustrated.

Each louver-13 also carries a third pin 20 extending from one endthereof parallel to pivot pins 15. Pin 20 is spaced from pin 15,preferably near the rearward edge of louver l3, and is adapted to fitwithin and mate with a socket in interconnecting arm 21.

As shown in FIG. 4 the front edge 22 and rear edge 23 of louver 13 arebeveled such that the outer edges 6 22 and 23 are inclined at an angleof approximately .from the major faces of the louvers. Accordingly, itwill be observed that as louvers 13 are pivoted on the pivot pins 15,end face 22 of one louver mates with end face 23 of an adjacent louverand the interfaced louvers 13 form a substantially flat surface closingthe register.

In the preferred embodiment all of the louvers 13 are substantiallyidentical except for the control louver 24, which is preferablycentrally located in the register. Control louver 24 is identical to theother louvers 13 in all major configurations and dimensions. Controllouver 24, however, carries a spur gear 25'mounted centrally thereinwith the axis of spur gear 25 coincidental with a line interconnectingpivot pins 15. Accordingly, spur gear 25 extends into the notch 14 andlouver 24.

A second spur gear 26 mounted in channel member 12 is adapted to meshwith spur gear 25. Spur gear 26 extends forwardly from channel member 12to provide a single means for rotation of all interconnected louvers 13and 24.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the relative position ofeach of the parallel louvers 13 and 24 may be controlled by the spurgear 26. Rotation of spur.

gear 26 rotates intermeshing spur gear 25 thereby rotating centrallylocated louver 24. Since all the louvers in the register areinterconnected by means of interconnecting arm 21 and pins 20, rotationof spur gear 26 causes rotation of all interconnected louvers in theregister to a like degree. It will readily be observed that when spurgear 26 is rotated in one direction the louvers are opened and when spurgear 26 is rotated in the opposite direction all louvers aresimultaneously closed as illustrated in FIG. 8.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the back face ofrectangular frame 10 is wider than the front face thereof; each of thelonger parallel sides carrying a shoulder 27 extending into the cavitywithin the frame as shown in FIG. 3. Shoulders 27 are preferablypositioned parallel to the sockets into which pivot pins 15 areinserted. Accordingly, when louvers 13 and 24 are rotated to the closedposition, the edges of the louvers rest on shoulders 27. The forwardportion of louvers-13 and 24 are narrower than the rearward portionsthereof so that the forward portions extending between the sides of theframe 10 and the channel member 12 completely fill the spacetherebetween yet move freely between the sides of the frame and thechannel member 14. 1

If desired, shoulder 27 may have depressions 30 formed therein toaccomodate interconnecting member 21 when the louvers are closed.Depressions 30 are provided to allow the portion of interconnecting pin21, which carries the socket supporting pin 20, to extend forward of theplane of the closed louvers and still allow the sides of the rearportions to seat on shoulders 27. In this manner louvers 13 and 24 arepermitted to align in a coplanar relationship and form a continuoussurface blocking the passage of air through the re- 'ster.

g1 From the foregoing it will be observed that the princ'iples of theinvention may be used to produce a register having pivoting louvers forboth directing the flow of air through the register and for closing theregister. By positioning the louvers in parallel relationship within theregister frame and providing the louvers with mating beveled edges, thelouvers may be aligned in a fully coplanar'relationship with the bevelededges se ted ainst each other to clo e 'ster.

t apparent to those ski] in ire art that the register described may bereadily fabricated from commercially available materials by conventionalmethods. In the preferred embodiment, the entire assembly is made fromcomponents formed from injection molded ABS plastic. Other suitablematerials may also be used.

While the invention has been described with particular reference tospecific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the form ofthe invention shown and described in detail is to be taken as thepreferred embodiment of .same, and that various changes andmodifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A register comprising:

a. a rectangular frame having side walls and end walls,

b. a plurality of substantially flat planar louvers pivotally mountedwithin said frame, said louvers being mounted in spaced parallelrelationship, the edges on opposite sides of said louvers being beveledwith respect to the major faces thereof, whereby upon rotation of saidlouvers within said frame said beveled edges on said louvers mate withbeveled edges on adjacent louvers forming one substantially flat planarsurface, and

c. a frame member substantially parallel to and positioned between theside walls, each of said louvers having a notch in the forward portionthereof, whereby the forward portions of said louvers may be movedbetween said side walls and said frame member.

2. A register comprising:

a. a rectangular frame having side walls and end walls,

b. a plurality of substantially flat planar louvers pivotally mountedwithin said frame, said louvers being mounted in spaced parallelrelationship, the edges on opposite sides of said louvers being beveledwith respect to the major faces thereof, whereby upon rotation of saidlouvers within said frame said beveled edges on said louvers mate withthe beveled edges forming one substantially flat planar surface, and

c. shoulders extending from said side walls into said frame, saidshoulders being adapted to mate with the side edged of said louvers whensaid louvers are rotated to the closed position.

3. The register defined in claim 2 and further including meansinterconnecting said louvers whereby rotation of one of said louverscauses rotation of the other louvers.

4.'The register defined in claim 3 and further including a first gearsubstantially centrally mounted on one of said louvers and adapted tomate secured to said frame.

5. The register defined in claim 1 wherein one of said shoulders hasdepressions in the face thereof adapted to accomodate said meansinterconnecting said louwith a second gear vers.

1. A register comprising: a. a rectangular frame having side walls andend walls, b. a plurality of substantially flat planar louvers pivotallymounted within said frame, said louvers being mounted in spaced parallelrelationship, the edges on opposite sides of said louvers being beveledwith respect to the major faces thereof, whereby upon rotation of saidlouvers within said frame said beveled edges on said louvers mate withbeveled edges on adjacent louvers forming one substantially flat planarsurface, and c. a frame member substantially parallel to and positionedbetween the side walls, each of said louvers having a notch in theforward portion thereof, whereby the forward portions of said louversmay be moved between said side walls and said frame member.
 2. Aregister comprising: a. a rectangular frame having side walls and endwalls, b. a plurality of substantially flat planar louvers pivotallymounted within said frame, said louvers being mounted in spaced parallelrelationship, the edges on opposite sides of said louvers being beveledwith respect to the major faces thereof, whereby upon rotation of saidlouvers within said frame said beveled edges on said louvers mate withthe beveled edges forming one substantially flat planar surface, and c.shoulders extending from said side walls into said frame, said shouldersbeing adapted to mate with the side edged of said louvers when saidlouvers are rotated to the closed position.
 3. The register defined inclaim 2 and further including means interconnecting said louvers wherebyrotation of one of said louvers causes rotation of the other louvers. 4.The register defined in claim 3 and further including a first gearsubstantially centrally mounted on one of said louvers and adapted tomate with a second gear secured to said frame.
 5. The register definedin claim 1 wherein one of said shoulders has depressions in the facethereof adapted to accomodate said means interconnecting said louvers.